Five-nation air defense exercise to kick off
Five-nation air defense exercise to kick off
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia is to coordinate a major air
defense exercise under the Five-Power Defense Arrangement (FPDA)
that groups it with Australia, Britain, New Zealand and
Singapore, defense officials said yesterday.
The eight-day combined exercise beginning Saturday over
peninsular Malaysia and Singapore airspace will be conducted by
the Integrated Air Defense System headquarters (IADS) based in
Butterworth in the northern state of Penang.
Codenamed "Major ADEX 96-4," the exercise is to be held under
the command of Air Vice Marshal E.J. McCormack of the IADS.
"The aim of the ADEX is to exercise together the air defense
forces of FPDA nations in preserving the integrity of Malaysian
and Singaporean airspace against a simulated external air
threat," a ministry official said.
Defense forces from the member nations will act both as
defenders and aggressors during the exercise.
Participants include the Royal Australian Air Force FA-18 and
F-III aircraft and Australian navy ship HMAS Adelaide and HS-748
aircraft. Britain will be participating with Royal Navy ship HMS
Exeter and a VC aircraft from its Royal Air Force.
Malaysia will provide its air force Hawk, MB-339, C-130,
Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft while its navy ships will deploy
one battery of 35 mm Oerlikon guns and Starbust missiles.
Singapore will deploy its air force's F-16, F-5E, A-4S, KC-
130, E-2C, C-130, F-50, Fennac and Super Puma aircraft and its
navy ship RSS Valour. Its air defense artillery will also be
deployed with the improved Hawk missile system and a 35mm gun
battery.
The FPDA was formed in the 1970s to defend Singapore and
Malaysia ahead of the withdrawal of British defense forces from
Singapore. Britain will hand its last Asian imperial bastion,
Hong Kong, over to China in July 1997.
The air drill follows FPDA's two-week combined naval defense
exercise, codenamed "Exercise Starfish", which began Aug. 31 and
is scheduled to end today.
The FPDA is also planning an ambitious air and naval exercise
called "Exercise Flying Fish," scheduled for the spring of 1997,
defense officials said.